Limited Time
by ah poke
Summary: A death has a mysterious effect even on the strongest of characters, it changes all, but yet it is what causes us to treasure our limited time, when a member of the family dies, all that is left is... Please read and review, all review appreciated.


**Limited Time**

**By Ah Poke**

_Humans, living creatures that take in oxygen, food and liquids to survive, unlike most other living organism, they are intelligent, however does that make their time on Earth seem shorter? We are forever bounded by time, each given a limited time to make their mark upon the world which they live on, the given time to make themselves feel needed, the given time to make themselves precious to others, but yet eventually none are eternal, causing almost eternal hurt to those who deem them as precious, such is the story of millions across the world, universe, dimensions._

As a fire descended from the heavens, emergency mages rushed to the scene, it was their worst fears realized, many had already died in the first wave of meteor showers and many would die in the following waves. It was up to them to protect the unprotected, to save those in need as well as to stop the increase of sorrow caused by those lost. Such was the job of one such Takamachi Nanoha, an Ace for TSAB. As she proceeded to stop the on coming threats and rescuing those in the line of that she could not destroy, such a dangerous job seemingly turned easy for the ace as she managed without difficulty.

As a small meteor came slowly towards her position where she was retrieving a person trapped under wreckage, imagining she still had time, she blasted the relatively huge rock to smaller chunks to buy more time as the other mages of her party continued to cut out the trapped civilian. However fate as it would have been said was cruel, trapped within the meteor was explosive gas which further sent the shards flying at higher velocities then normal. It did the unexpected by being able to pierce her wide shields which had been extended to protect the others due to the high velocity, and as the shards flew towards the other mages, she protected them with nothing but herself. It resulted in her being critically wounded in the hospital as one of the mortally wounded.

'Nanoha! Nanoha!' screamed a blonde as she cried beside the aqua eyed beauty on the hospital bed in a semi-conscious state, as well as cries of 'Mummy! Mummy!' coming from a heterochromatic young girl beside her. They were both in grief after her severe injuries that refused to heal through conventional means, the damage had been both deep and permanent, limiting her time left on the plain of the living and had begun her transitions to that of the dead. The doctors had given her no longer then forty eight hours to live, during that time, none of her acquaintances wanted to leave the free spirited and strong willed girl for fear of her leaving them without a word, but as she came out of her sleep for moments at a time just to tell them how much she loved them, leaving an monumental mark on their emotional state without meaning to, and yet as she finally faded, they were emotionally drained as they lost a mentor, a daughter, a friend, a lover, a mother, a savior.

At the funeral, none could hold back their tears for the much loved ace, the most broken being her lover, Fate T. Harlaown, who had already lost much of her color with the hospitalization of her dearly beloved, lost even more vitality with Nanoha's death, the only thing holding her back was the care of her adopted children, and also Nanoha's left behind daughter, Vivio. She cried her sorrow out on the hill where Nanoha was buried, even as the mournful guest left, leaving only behind Fate, even as the sky changed to a dim orange shade, she refused to leave the site where Nanoha laid, even as the forwards came towards their mentor to bring her home, she was only persuaded when darkness fell and even so, her silence ensured as they drove her back to the apartment where she lived with Vivio.

The next day, Enforcer Fate was no longer in existence, all was left was a former shadow of her previous self, the shell of glamour. She had lost her will to live even with the support of the forwards and Vivio who had officially become adopted by Fate. She had put up a tough exterior, but even the indistinguishable face was beginning to crack, and even so she turned to spirits to help ease her sorrow, she became a Fate no one knew, eventually even the most staunch of her supports crumbled away as the years went by, until all that remained was Vivio, aged twenty, five years after Nanoha's death.

"Fate-San, it's already morning, should you not be finding work, even so please wake up for breakfast." Prodded an older, more mature Vivio.  
"Why!? Nanoha isn't even here! What reason do I have to continue living! Tell me!" Shouted Fate incoherently in the drunken stupor left over from the previous night's spirits.

As she finished shouting, she slumped back onto the couch into the deep sleep that plagued her since the death, sobbing silently to herself even after so many years. Vivio heaved a heavy sigh as she wrapped up the breakfast she had prepared for Fate and prepared herself to go to work as she had to support both herself and her adopted mother, luckily Nanoha in event of her death had prepared financially and they were not in debt, however, Fate's constant ramblings and mood swings had eroded the care of the forwards for their former mentor, visiting only rarely, whether for the reason of avoiding her but maintaining a pious filial piety to their mentor or that they were busy with work, it didn't really matter to her for when they visited, she would not speak much or react to them. Fate's own time was becoming limited with the excessive drinking and her own ignorance of her own body's condition.

Fate had bouts of soberness, when she was sober, that was the time she went and bought liquor, just from the shop across the apartment, a simple trip could change her life as she went towards the shop as a regular customer to buy as much alcohol she could manage to carry home, she then met, the change…

"That will be $400 this time Fate-San." Reported the storekeeper with a frown at the listless blond as she paid him and proceeded to walk out of the store.

As the glass doors slid open, she slammed into a stranger rounding the corner. "Ah I'm sorry Miss, are you alright?" Enquired the brown haired male of average build and height.

"I'm fine…" Replied Fate softly.

"Hey I know you! You were one of those at the Ariel Ace Nanoha funeral five years back. That seems to be a lot of liquor, you having a party or something?"

"No, you must be mistaken."

"I highly doubt so. You are Enforcer Fate T. Harlaown aren't you. You saved my platoon once many years back, I was one of those privileged to be trained under Nanoha-San."

"I used to be called that… Not any longer."

"May I invite you to have a drink, after all I never really thanked you for saving my platoon all those years back."

"I guess I could take sometime to have a drink."

"That's great, I recently been discharged from the TSAB for serious magical injuries, the pension should really be used, luckily I've already prepared." Laughed the fellow ex-Enforcer.

They proceeded towards a small café down the street after the ex-Enforcer carried Fate's liquor into her apartment and marveled that he was in the home of two legendary officers from TSAB. They ordered their drinks with Fate ordering an alcohol laced coffee for the both of them and a side order of strawberry cake.

"Ah the smell of coffee this early in the morning, so I've yet to introduced myself formally, I'm apart of the Special Enforcer Squad, I was the captain there. You can call me Poke." He said with a grin.

"Well you already know who I am, so I guess I don't have to introduce myself." Said Fate as she attempted to smile while eating the cake.

They had a little chat as they finished their drinks and cakes as they chatted about being Enforcers as well as life after retiring. As they finished the meal and proceeded to return to Fate's apartment, Fate started to feel the effects of the alcohol in her coffee as she started to sway in a slight gentle movement.

"Are you alright?" Inquired Poke as he steadied her.

"Erm. Fine." Blushed Fate.

They continued to walk towards the apartment and as they were entering the door, Vivio arrived home to provide lunch for her mother, just as Poke was about to leave.

"Ah Fate-San, we have a visitor?" Asked Vivio innocently.

"Ah Vivio, this is Poke-San, he was an Enforcer who was retired recently, I met him while buying drinks. We just had some tea at the café down the street, from where he just walked me home."

"Ah I see, come in Poke-San, shall I get you a drink. I was about to prepare lunch, it would be an honor that you stay for lunch."

"Ah thank you, it would be my pleasure."

"Fate-San, would you come and help me in the kitchen."

As Poke was directed to the sitting room, Fate followed Vivio towards the kitchen where they proceeded to prepare lunch for the three of them.

"I'm surprised Fate-San, you haven't had a drop today?"

"No not really, had some in a coffee earlier." Replied Fate sheepishly.

"That would be good, perhaps if you didn't drink so much, it would actually help your lifestyle."  
"Easier said then done Vivio, I haven't had a drop to drink because of his visit, however I'm feeling the effects of not having a drink."  
"That would be healthier for you however, he seems to look familiar to me though, Enforcer Special Ops I guess."  
"He was the captain of one of the squads, under your department."

"No wonder he looked familiar. He could be your new best friend to help you curb your alcohol addiction."  
"I don't have an addiction, though it might help solve all these problems that I have been having for the last few years." Growled Fate slightly louder.

"Right right, let's prepare lunch, you could ask him over more often as well, since he is retired and all." Giggled Vivio.

They prepared whatever they could for lunch, even the inhibited cooking skills of Fate's resurfaced after all those years and managed to cook up a storm. Even as Vivio was suppose to cook the lunch, Fate did most of the work, with even more vigor then she had before meeting the ex-Enforcer. Lunch was presented rather quickly though splendidly with both color and aroma, to both Poke and Vivio's amazement and as their mouths watered from the sight of the food, they finally started to eat, almost family like with Fate being totally sober. They slowly ate the food as Poke complimented Fate's cooking as well as how tidy Vivio kept the apartment also as a side comment how he could barely cook or keep his own apartment tidy.

"We could always cook for you." Joked Fate.

"Or clean your apartment." Chipped in Vivio with a slight giggle.

"Haha, I guess since I do have time I should clean my own apartment."

"We could always come over or you could come here for meals since you own apartment is just half an hour away." Added Fate.

"That would be nice, being an Enforcer sure forces bachelorhood on you." Laughed Poke.

"You guys should go out more often." Grinned Vivio.

"What!?" Exclaimed Fate and Poke in unison.

"With you guys having so much time on you hands, being retired and all, going out would brighten your lives." And to Fate she whispered, "And also give you something better to do then drink, as well as fill that gap in your life."

Fate then turned into a bright red color as she mumbled, "I hope he accepts that I drink a lot, and even as it gets filled, it'll never completely get filled."

"He will, and it might." Was the whispered reply.

That night, Fate made a solemn vow to not touch another drop of alcohol, as she spent what limited time she had left to enjoy the rest of her life with her new found friend, Poke, for not drinking another drop ensured that she would have more of that limited time spent here in the same dimensional plains with her loved ones left over, creating a new picture but never forgetting the old, as it finally blossoms into a beautiful portrait of utmost beauty that depicts all that is love.

_Sometimes a normal encounter may imprint a beautiful memory onto our minds, this is what makes us human and causes grief to us when one dies, but is that really bad? This makes us treasure the limited time we have left to us, whether it be ten years or fifty years, we will treasure the time spent with loved ones, but yet when they die we grief. All is human emotion that we experience, which is natural, yet we should not grief but yet remember them who has left that imprint on our emotional portrait with their limited time. Let us use what limited time we have left to ensure that what we have lived is colorful and yet relevant, unlike the artist that used too many different colors which did not blend, grief adds color we do not need, remember but yet not grief. However if grief has already set in, encounters are there to save you, embrace them and learn from them. Love saves all, even from the pits of despair. _

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_ Author's Note: Inspired by death itself, do leave a review or comment for all reviews are largely appreciated and welcomed, whether__ good or bad. More reviews means a higher chance that a follow up might be written. Thanks for reading, your viewership is much appreciated. _


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